The Ethical Defensibility of Harm Reduction and Eating Disorders

This event is part of the JCB Bioethics Seminar Series.

Eating disorders are mental illnesses that can have a significant and persistent physical impact, especially for those who are not treated early in their disease trajectory. Although many persons with eating disorders may make a full recovery, some may not; this is especially the case when it comes to persons with severe and enduring anorexia nervosa (SEAN), namely, those who have had anorexia for between 6 and 12 years or more. Given that persons with SEAN are less likely to make a full recovery, a different treatment philosophy might be ethically warranted. One potential yet scarcely considered way to treat persons with SEAN is that of a harm reduction approach. A harm reduction philosophy is deemed widely defensible in certain contexts (e.g. in the substance use and addictions domain), and in this paper we argue that it may be similarly ethically defensible for treating persons with SEAN in some circumstances.

Speakers:
Andria Bianchi, Bioethicist, University Health Network, Assistant Professor, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, University of Toronto

Katherine Stanley, Registered Nurse, University Health Network

Kalam Sutandar, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto

[manbrains]

A harm reduction approach has kept me out of the hospital IP programs for nearly 4 years. The distress I went through as a returning patient and lack of trust with providers ruined everything. My mom still wants me "to recover" but in my mind I'm already doing that and the best thing is consistency in the community vs residential and hospital stays with zero transition help

[teresahild]

Excellent content. I agree as a person treating SEAN for the last 28 years.

[sunset]

The book "30 Days to Stop Overeating" by Harper Daniels takes an interesting mindfulness approach. The mind is so powerful. Mindfulness helps...it's a game changer.